National Black Justice Coalition Inc

NBJC is an amazing organization that I am extremely fortunate to be a part of. The work that is done inspires me to work harder each and every day. The constant focus to create a better life for the Black LGBT community is remarkable, and I can honestly say that the focus is

Community Stories

38 Stories from Volunteers, Donors & Supporters

NBJC is an amazing organization that I am extremely fortunate to be a part of. The work that is done inspires me to work harder each and every day. The constant focus to create a better life for the Black LGBT community is remarkable, and I can honestly say that the focus is evenly distributed from the L, G, B, and T. Positive changes have occurred because of NBJC and positive changes will continue to occur.

I was recently introduced to NBJC this year, and have continued to be enlightened, encouraged, and inspired by the work of this amazing organization. It's not an easy task to create safe spaces for Black LGBTQ people, and NBJC not only takes this on with fearless commitment, but also works to educate our community on the issues that Black LGBTQ people face. I look forward to seeing the strides that NBJC will continue to make - and also to helping out as a volunteer to continue the fight for equality.

NBJC is THE leading organization for Black LGBT persons. The innovative and knowledgeable staff are second to none and as an allied professional I am proud to call each of them my colleagues. As someone who works in the movement, the strain of carrying the torch of Black representation is not as great because I know NBJC has it covered.

After reaching out to a former colleague at the NBJC, I received a wealth of information and assistance about LGBTQ topics and programs related to my job and personal aspirations. This was my first interaction with anyone from the NBJC and afterwards I was more than enthused that I could find help and information from an organization interested about improving the rights and exposure of topics specifically concerning people of color in the LGBTQ community.

NBJC has served as an instrumental unofficial adviser to my fraternity. As the first LGBT Greek Lettered Organization, we serve as mighty ambassadors of the Black GLBT community and are expected to be present in fight for equality, inclusion and forward progression. We look to NBJC for guidance on current issues affecting our community and see collaboration with NBJC as a major opportunity to get involved with changing the closed minded views of the past.

I am a member of NBJC's Leadership Advisory Council and an admirer of NBJC's work from Chicago. One thing that NBJC helps us at Affinity Community Services do is tie national policy and initiatives to our work at the local level. Our work has been expanded because of our affiliation with NBJC and our expectations for the impact of our work have expanded too. NBJC is the organization that LGBT communities and Black communities have needed for a long time. The organization will prove to be an absolutely critical bridge to multiple communities as this nation and social justice spaces become more female and more people of color. Kudos to NBJC for being such a standard bearer!

Black bisexual poet and intellectual June Jordan once said, "We are the ones we have been waiting for." I feel that The National Black Justice Coalition, under the leadership and guidance of Sharon Lettman-Hicks, truly embodies this quote. NBJC is what the Black LGBT community has been waiting for. I have never been more inspired and empowered by an organization than I have been by NBJC. There is something about Sharon's visionary leadership, and her accessible team, that sparked a fire inside of me. I can truly say that 2012 has been one of the most powerful years of my life, in terms of social and political activism, and I have NBJC to thank for a large part of that. NBJC has consistently provided members of the Black LGBT community, and our allies, opportunities to let our voices be heard and to serve as vessels of change in our various communities. The White House meeting for emerging LGBT leaders, Out on the Hill conference for Black LGBT activists and advocates, and the organizations many efforts to harness the power of the Black LGBT community, are just a few examples of how NBJC stands out in a dynamic way. I recently had the opportunity to work with NBJC to secure marriage equality in the state of Maryland. I can't begin to state how amazing this experience was, and how much support NBJC gave its volunteers and supporters. This is an organization that operates with compassion, care, truth, knowledge, and love. I can't speak for others, but I know that NBJC is the organization that I have been waiting for.

The National Black Justice Coalition has been a beacon of clarity and direction for the Black LGBT community. I can always count on NBJC to do work that is relevant to Black LGBT people, and I know that they are always advocating on my behalf. Their staff is very nimble, and the organization is very active.

I am the convener of an all volunteer community based organization dedicated to educating and advocating for the rights of LGBT people in the Black community. For us on the ground, it is difficult to locate resources and persons who can articulate the needs of the larger Black LGBT community while providing valuable policy resource materials. We look to the National Black Justice coalition as the ground grounded and solid in the delivery of materials that we need to advocate and educate at the grass roots level. In turn, we as a grass root organization have the ability to have our voices heard through NBJC because they function in D.C. and can speak directly to national elected officials and policy makers. In the NBJC, we also find a foundation for our effort to place ourselves as Black LGBT people in the context of the needs and issues that effect the larger Black community. This representation is our priority and we share it with them. We believe that the existence of the National Black Justice Coalition is crucial to our functioning and to having the our needs projected to a larger audience.

From the Peak of the Mountain Top, I want to Thank the National Black Justice Coalition for fighting for the LGBT community and offering events and platforms to the masses. The NBJC is not just a non-profit, the organization and the staff are my extend ed family. I admire the Executive Director Sharon Lettman and her vision , she is a role model for all man kind.

As the religious leader of the largest international denomination with a ministry to LGBT people -- Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC), I find the work of the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) invaluable to the cause of lifting up the voices of black LGBT people and advancing the issues that are critical. NBJC has continued to work toward shaping the national dialog around the intersections of race, gender, sexuality and equality. And because the intersections of sexuality, spirituality, and justice is key work for MCC, NBJC has been an extremely important partner. NBJC has demonstrated a strong presence -- standing with us and other faith voices to counter homophobia, discrimination, and other forms of injustice in the religious and social spheres. We are indeed stronger together. And the overall LGBT and faith communities are the better because there is NBJC.

The National Black Justice Coalition isn't just a non-profit organization, we're a family. Back 2010, During my Senior year of college, I got a call saying that I had been invited to the White House to witness Barack Obama sign the HBCU initiative. The moment was completely surreal, and I could not fathom why the President of the Unites States wanted to meet ME... But the morning of February 26, 2010 forever changed my life. That's the day I met Sharon Lettman-Hicks and became a part of this family. She installed in me that the work I'm doing matters and is changing the lives of other Historically Black College & University students. That's what NBJC is all about, empowering US, to change the face of the movement for LGBT equality. NBJC is the sole reason I do the work I do today.

As a Black lesbian working in and for the LGBT community, I depend on the NBJC to keep me informed of current issues. I also depend on them to represent the needs and concerns of the Black LGBT community and in the last year have been impressed with their involvement in the Robert Champion case. I feel that they bring a perspective and understanding that is unique to the NBJC; and necessary in these types of situations.
As a mother, I am grateful for the work that the NBJC has done around our families. From the high visibility of Black LGBT families at the White House Egg Roll, to the work that they are doing with Black LGBT student groups, the NBJC proves their commitment to our families on a daily basis.
I’m proud to be a part of this organization and know that the work that they are doing is creating a better world and more positive reality for Black LGBT people, as well as the larger community.

NBJC serves an important role in the lives of many African-American LGBT individuals and families by being a strong advocate on the issues that impact our lives and welfare. We count on NBJC to keep us informed on the latest policies out of Washington that should motivate us toward action.

NBJC has been one of the influential stepping stones in my life. As an African American gender non-conformant young person, I often searched for a group of people that could fully understand my struggle and thankfully I didn't find just a group of people, I found a family within the members of NBJC. The organization has and continues to intentionally pave a path for me to succeed in a help lead out movement and for that I will be forever grateful!

NBJC is a fantastic organization. As a young leader of a growing LGBTQ organization, NBJC has played a special role in helping me grow as a leader, connect with other LGBTQ leaders of color, and host local advocacy events. I am inspired every year by their OUT on a HILL day which brings together people from all around the country to build community and advocate for LGBTQ people of color. It is one of the first national organizations many come to learn of as an LGBTQ person of color looking to get involved and make a difference.